A Stray Flare
by Smash Alexandros
Summary: [SUN/MOON POKEMON INCLUDED!] A new Styler being utilized by Pokemon Rangers is causing Pokemon to go savage. A now-former Ranger named Jean plans to stop them. After a fated meeting with a Litten, he finds himself gaining new allies on his quest to take down the evil masterminds behind the Black Styler. [More Sun/Moon stuff as more is revealed!] [Please Review :) They help!]
1. Ch 1 - Fated Arrival

**Pokemon**

 **A Stray Flare**

* * *

 _ **A/N: Pokemon Sun/Moon HYPE! This story will be updated monthly most likely, since we need more info before it can truly continue, buuut- It will feature all new Sun/Moon Pokemon!**_

 _ **So look forward to that! :)**_

 _ **The story starts off in Sinnoh, but, when the games come closer to release(or are released) they'll be going straight to Alola! So look forward to that eventually x)**_

* * *

 **Chapter 01**

 **Fated Arrival**

 **I** n the heart of Sandgem town, a fated meeting between Trainer and Pokemon occurred.

The sky was black, filled with the roaring sounds of thunder and flashes of lightning. Between the boom of thunderclaps, screeches from a certain flock of Pokemon rang out- A wild group of Fearows and Spearows, circling lower and lower above the town.

Their appearance in the area was surprising, but more surprising was their aggressive nature towards the people of the town, who were paying them no mind.

Anyone taking a chance to go through the storm was instantly met with the frightening sight of Fearows flying down to them, pecking and clawing at them. One woman in particular, carrying a bag of items from the Pokemart, slipped and fell when trying to flee, and was helpless as they came down upon her-

"Whirlwind!" As the gruff voice cried out, a sudden gust of wind blew the bird Pokemon away. The woman looked over in surprise, watching as none-other than Professor Rowan approached, a Starly perched on his arm. He was wearing a trench-coat and brimmed hat, which was struggling to stay on in the storm's winds. "Go on, get to safety," he told the woman. She nodded and quickly stood, running off.

The flying Pokemon cried out in anger at Professor Rowan, a few beginning to circle up above him. He scoffed at this.

 _To think a wild phenomenon like this would occur..._ He looked over to the Starly on his arm. _When I only have this one Pokemon with me._

One of the Fearow cried out and suddenly nose-dived from the sky, heading right for Rowan. He tensed up, but knew he could not move out of the way in time in his old age.

"Whirlwind!" The Starly flew forward and began to rapidly flap its wings, sending yet another intense volley of wind towards the opposing Fearow, who was blown off-track, almost hitting the ground, but recovering before and flying back up into the sky to join its flock.

 _If I'm not careful, I might get overrun-_ As he thought this, he realized that a sound was coming from behind. Turning, a Spearow had flown around and was coming from behind at a quickening speed. He raised his arms defensively, but, luckily, Starly flew forward, taking the Spearow's full power. It cried out, flying back into Rowan, knocking him back off his feet. He grabbed hold of the Starly as he tumbled and eventually stopped, groaning.

"It's... Alright..." Taking out a Pokeball, he pointed it at the Starly. However, to his disdain, a Fearow suddenly swooped in, grabbing the small bird in its claws. "What?!" He watched as it flew up into the sky, joining the others of its kind once again. This was when he noticed that more Pokemon were being taken by the flock. Looking around, many others with Pokemon had clearly tried to battle, and had fallen. "What is this...!"

A screech rang out, and everyone still left outside looked up, seeing that all of the Fearows and Spearows without Pokemon paused their flight to look down at them.

Professor Rowan weakly stood and raised a hand to everyone. "Everyone, you must get inside!" A few of the trainers slowly started to make their way out, but a few were already incapacitated, so the Professor made his way over to a nearby young trainer, who looked up at him weakly. "It will be alright," he told her. As he reached down to help her, another screech rang out, and he looked up to a horrible scene-

All of the birds facing them swooped down towards the people left outside, some crashing into each other in a wild fury and trying to get ahead of the others, as if competing over prey.

Professor Rowan scowled and got in front of the defenseless girl, outstretching his arms in protection. They grew closer and closer, and he knew his time was almost up...

Or at least, that's how it seemed.

A single figure jumped down in front of Rowan. He was surprised by their sudden appearance, and even more by the seemingly nonchalant expression they were giving him.

"Yo," they said. It was a fairly tall teenaged boy with slightly-tanned skin and jet-black hair, wearing traditional Pokemon Ranger garb consisting of black pants, red boots, a black under-shirt, red vest, and black fingerl-ess gloves. However, his outfit was very worn and faded, obviously seeing the wear-and-tear of years passed, only adding to his relaxed stature.

"Get out of here!" Behind the boy, the wild birds could be seen growing ever closer, seconds away from striking.

The boy turned, looking at them. Only for a moment, his expression became serious as he raised a hand towards them. In an instant, a bolt of lightning seemed to shoot out from the nearby forest surrounding Sandgem Town, hitting one of the Fearows and then jumping out to others nearby, shocking them all in an instant. The entire town flashed brightly from the spectacle, and Rowan was taken aback, watching as some of the birds fell to the ground, and others recovered and flew off in fear.

"That was a little close, I guess," the boy said with a chuckle. He signaled towards the forest, and a Pokemon darted out to him, taking his side: A Manetric. He placed a hand on its back, looking up to the remaining birds above, whom all held Pokemon in their talons.

"Just who are you?" Rowan looked at the unfamiliar boy skeptically, his appearance quite off-putting.

The boy turned to him and smirked. "The name's Jean- Former Pokemon Ranger."

With that said, Jean hopped onto the back of his Manetric, and the Pokemon took off, jumping onto the roof of the Pokemon center across the way, using it to jump up into the air towards the bird Pokemon. Two of them began to flap their wings intensely, sending a Gust straight their way.

"Protect!" As Jean called out, Manetric activated a green barrier around them, protecting them as they flew through the air. "Now for a Flamethrower!" The Pokemon opened its mouth and reared its head, flames forming at its mouth before spewing them out in a huge burst of fire. The Fearows cried out as they were hit by the flames, dropping the Pokemon in their clutches.

Down below, Rowan ran over as fast as he could to the falling Pokemon, who were a Lombre and Buneary respectively. He caught the Buneary and then jumped for the Lombre, though this resulted in him using his body as more of a cushion for the Pokemon as it landed on him hard. He gasped and groaned, on the ground in pain.

 _This is the kind of thing I wanted to get away from,_ he thought angrily, watching the events unfolding up above.

The two Fearow flew off in poofs of smoke. Jean and Manetric landed on the ground near Rowan. "You alright? That was a nice catch," Jean told him with a thumbs-up, though Rowan merely scowled at him.

Looking back to the wild birds, a few of them decided to give up, releasing the Pokemon from their clutches. "Heh, that's what I thought." Manetric jumped up into the air as an intense speed, allowing Jean to catch the Pokemon and bring them back down to the ground safely.

The Pokemon Trainers ran out happily, taking their Pokemon and thanking him. The girl whom Rowan had protected before came over and knelt beside him, picking up her Buneary, who looked up at her weakly. She hugged it tight.

"T-Thank you...!"

Professor Rowan sighed. "...Yes." His Starly, recovered by Jean and Manetric, flew over to his side, making a happy noise.

Loud squawks made everyone look up in fear, but they watched as the remaining Fearows began to fly away.

"That was amazing! You were great," the Lombre's trainer told Jean, who rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"It was nothin' really, haha..."

"H-Hey! They have another Pokemon!" The Buneary's trainer pointed up towards the birds. Jean looked up and squinted his eyes- Sure enough, one of them that had been way in the back of the flock was holding a small, black-and-red Pokemon.

More people gathered outside to view the aftermath. Many were confused as to the taken Pokemon's origins.

"It's not mine," one person stated.

"Nor mine," said another.

"Hmm... Manetric, let's go get it!" The Pokemon howled in agreement, running off into the forest in pursuit. As they made chase, Jean began to relay instructions. "They're too high up for us to attack safely, so I'm going to need you to boost me." The Pokemon looked up at him and nodded, running even quicker.

After not too long, they ended up below their targeted Fearow. Jean stood on the back of his Pokemon, in a stance to keep his balance.

"Now!" As he called out, Manetric jumped up towards the top of the trees, landing on them, and then using them to jump into the air. It was only able to make it about halfway, thus Jean kicked off of it and jumped even further, making it even further, though it wasn't enough. "Tch... Then let's try this!" Reaching into the pouch at his side, he produced a small, black sphere- A smoke bomb. He tossed it up at the bird, who was surprised as it was hit square in the face, smoke erupting all around it. It cried out in surprise, and the plan worked, as the Pokemon was dropped, falling down from the sky, right past Jean.

 _Crap!_ He quickly moved his body to dive from the sky, trying to catch up with the Pokemon. Manetric landed on the ground below, and quickly moved in to intercept. Jeand reached out to the Pokemon, trying his hardest to grab it. _I've gotta do it...!_ Flashes of old memories appeared in his mind- Moments where he had failed to save a Pokemon from a fatal fall at a cliffside. _I can do it!_ He used all of his might to will himself forward, grabbing the Pokemon in his arms. _Got it!_ -

But he was already getting close to the ground. _Is this... It?_ He closed his eyes, holding the Pokemon tight-

Luckily, Manetric jumped in right on time, catching Jean on its back. He sighed in relief. "...Thanks." He smiled. As the large Pokemon landed firmly on the ground, Jean hopped off, looking down at the Pokemon in his arms. He was surprised.

"This is... A Litten?" Jean placed a hand gently on the black-and-red cat Pokemon's chest, feeling its shallow breathing. The Pokemon's expected fiery warmth was fading. He removed his vest and used it to cover the Pokemon, helping to shield it from the rainfall. "Let's get to the Pokemon Center, quick."

* * *

In the Pokemon Center, it was very crowded with the various people and Pokemon that had been injured. The Nurse Joy of the center was frivelously going back and forth between patients, a Chansey and Wigglytuff assisting her.

The doors slid open, and Jean entered. Everyone immediately noticed his entrance.

"It's the Ranger! The one who drove them away!"

A few people began to clap and cheer, making Jean smile. "Come on now, it was nothing-" Suddenly, Professor Rowan appeared in front of him, much to his surprise.

"Hmph, nothing? You seem to know more than any of us," the Professor stated. "Tell me, why were those Pokemon so out of control?"

"Uh, well, you see..." Jean searched for the answer in his mind, but the Nurse Joy came over and intervened.

"This can wait! We need to take care of this Pokemon first," she stated. Jean dipped his head in thanks and handed her the Litten, which she took in her arms and quickly rushed off with.

"That Pokemon... A rare sight here. It is local to the Alola region, I believe," he explained. "But what is it doing out here with seemingly no trainer?"

Jean shrugged. "I'm as lost about it as you are..."

"But what you are _NOT_ lost about, is the attack at hand!" Rowan pointed accusingly at Jean, who gulped.

"Okay, okay! But... In private, alright?"

Nurse Joy rushed back over to the two.

"If you wish, your Pokemon is in one of the rooms down the hall," she told him.

"Thank you! Uh, er, it's not mine but-" Before he could finish, Nurse Joy dipper her head and hurried away to help some others. He sighed.

"Then let us speak in there," Rowan stated, leading the way.

* * *

Litten was laying on a tall, padded bed, with a device attached to the tufts of red fur on its cheeks, and a blanket over its body. Its breathing, Jean noticed, was becoming more and more consistent, much to his relief.

"I see you care very much about Pokemon," Rowan pointed out as he watched him.

"Of course... Like I said, I was once a Ranger."

"Why would someone as young as you quit?"

Jean looked down at the floor, his usual happy expression replaced with a solemn one.

"Why wouldn't I...? You saw what those Pokemon did out there! They were savage, untameable-" Jean shook his head.

"You're saying... Pokemon Rangers did this?!" Professor Rowan was taken aback by this statement. "Surely this is an improbability."

"I wouldn't lie about it... A new Styler has been making the rounds, one that forces Pokemon to obey without the need to capture them. The creators ensured that the Pokemon weren't being hurt, so it quickly picked up steam, but..."

Jean recalled that moment once more- He was at a cliff-side, and a Pokemon, whose image was fuzzy in his memory, was falling. He ran to the edge and reached out to it, missing it, watching as it fell to the rocky abyss below. He cried out in agony, and pulled out his Styler, which was a black, triangular-shaped design. Holding it out over the cliff, he dropped it down to the rocks below, and turned to leave. Returning to the present, he looked up at the recovering Litten.

"Pokemon don't like to be controlled by force. It's natural that they will become more aggressive as a result," Jean continued. "All I've seen since those... Stupid Stylers were made!- Was anger and death."

The air inside the room was becoming heavy. Rowan remained silent as he thought about the situation for a moment.

"Tell me... Who was it that devised those new Stylers," Rowan asked, "And why not tell others of its danger?"

"As if they would listen... After all, the main backers of the Rangers are the ones who created the device-"

"Team Flare."

As if on cue, lightning struck very close outside, sending the sound of thunder all around. Professor Rowan was intrigued, and was ready to ask more- However, a small noise made them look up towards the bed.

The Litten was lifting its head weakly, looking at them. Jean quickly changed his expression, smiling as he stood and approached it, kneeling beside the bed.

"Hey there, you're gonna be alright," he said calmly, reaching out to pet the Pokemon. However, the Litten's fur on its back rose a bit as it hissed and nipped at his hand. He pulled it back, and chuckled. "I know I know, I'm still a stranger, but I won't hurt you," Jean told it, reaching out again slowly. The Litten watched with skeptical eyes as his hand grew close, closing its eyes in preparation- However, it seemed surprised as Jean placed his hand gently on its head, petting it. It looked up at him with a confused expression. "See?"

Upon watching this, a small smirk escaped Rowan's mouth. He stood and walked towards the door.

"Listen young man... Your love for Pokemon is proof enough to me that you can complete your quest. But taking on a flock of wild Pokemon isn't going to help you much," Rowan stated. As he placed a hand on the door handle, he looked over to Jean.

"If you really want to make a difference... I can help."

As Rowan looked his way, lightning from outside illuminated the room. Jean grinned at him and looked down at the Litten. "Only if this one can tag along."

The Litten's eyes glistened in wonder as it looked up at Jean, the feeling of Human affection very foreign to it...

And thus, began the journey of a Trainer and a stray Pokemon... And how little did they know of how entwined their fates really were.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. Ch 2 - A Journey Begins

**Chapter 02**

 **A Journey Begins**

* * *

A day after the wild flock of Fearow and Spearow attacked Sandgem Town, all had seemed to return to normal.

With the storms passing, many were out helping to fix damage caused by it and the wild Pokemon. Jean, who had just awoken, walked out of the Pokemon Center with a big stretch, and admired the dedication of the townspeople.

 _It's a new day,_ he thought, looking up to the clear, blue sky, using a hand to shield his eyes from the bright Sun. _Yesterday went well, but..._

Rowan's words echoed in his mind: " _If you really want to make a difference... I can help._ "

It was these words that sparked a new determination within Jean. He knew simply protecting people from the savage Pokemon would not make a difference in the end.

"Li~," the sound of a Pokemon emerged from behind. Jean turned and looked down, finding Litten sitting there, staring up at him, its tail swaying slightly.

"Oh! What are you doing up?" Jean smiled and knelt down down, petting the Pokemon, who still seemed a bit wary, but accepted his petting, purring slightly. "I was just going to see the Professor. I figured you needed plenty of rest after yesterday."

The Pokemon stood, lifting one of its paws, seemingly determined. Jean smiled at this.

"Well, I guess you should come along, then," he stated.

Suddenly, a Buneary hopped over from a little ways away, getting close and looking at the Litten with interest. Litten jumped at this sudden intrusion, its hairs on its back rising as it arches its back. Jean held a hand up to it.

"H-Hey now, it's alright-"

The Buneary leaned in closer to get a better look, startling the cat Pokemon more. It darted around to the back of Jean, hiding behind his legs, glaring out at the Pokemon. Jean chuckled and pet it.

"B-Buneary! Hey!" Jean looked over to see the girl whom Professor Rowan had tried to shield the day before approaching. She was a slightly younger girl in her early teens, with a blonde pony-tail, wearing a pink cap, jacket, and skirt with white knee-socks and boots. She picked up her Pokemon and sighed, looking up at Jean. "I-I'm sorry... She doesn't like to listen."

The Buneary scoffed at this, turning its head defiantly. Jean laughed. "We've all been there, I'm sure," he said, patting the Buneary's head. This seemed to set off Litten, as it suddenly growled and bit his ankle. Jean winced and looked down at the Pokemon. "O-Oh... Sorry..." He took his hand away from the Buneary, and Litten let off of him.

"Are you okay?!" The girl looked at the bite mark on his ankle.

Jean rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "Yeah, it's fine! I've had way worse..."

"O-Okay then.. Say! Were you going to see Professor Rowan too?"

"I was. I assume you want to go thank him," Jean pointed out. The girl nodded. "Well, I might as well introduce myself: I'm Jean, and yourself?"

The girl got a bit shy and looked away for a moment. "M-My name is Elizabeth."

Jean does a bow, smiling at her. "Well, it's very nice to meet you."

Elizabeth blushes a bit, nodding to him. "I-I never got to thank you too... You came in and saved the me! I don't know what would've happened-"

"Hey now, the Professor was there, right?" Jean smirked. "You've gotta put some trust into him. He would've protect you, I just had to step in and steal the glory." He walked past Elizabeth, and Litten quickly bounded after him, glaring up at Buneary as it passed.

"W-Wait up!"

* * *

The two entered Professor Rowan's lab, the light shining in from the now-open door illuminating the darkness.

"Hm? I thought he'd be here," Jean commented out loud, walking inside, looking around. "Professor?"

Elizabeth followed him in hesitantly, staying close. The doors slid shut behind them, leaving them in total darkness. Elizabeth made a small noise at this, grabbing hold of the tuft of Jean's shirt. He looked down to Litten who was by his side.

"Hey, do you think you can light it up a bit?" He motioned with a finger to the darkness, and Litten merely blinked at him. "Er... Maybe you can't understand-"

The Pokemon mewed and lifted a paw, as if to stop him. It took a step forward and closed its eyes. The spiky fur rose on its back a bit as it seemed to concentrate, and, after a moment, the top of its tail suddenly burst into a flame that illuminated a decent amount of the area. Elizabeth lit up a bit at the sight.

"Wow! I recall that you can secrete oil from fur, but it's amazing to see it in-person," Jean said, giving Litten a thumbs-up. The Pokemon seemed happy to be appreciated, letting out a sort of mew.

Continuing forward, with Litten at the helm, they moved further into the laboratory. All around were desks and various workshops with many technological features and computers. Eventually, they reached a larger area in the back, where a lone light could be seen in the corner. There, Professor Rowan could be seen, sitting in front of a desk illuminated by a lamp, face-down.

"Professor?!" Jean quickly ran over to him, getting close. He placed a hand on his back, and, suddenly, Professor Rowan sat up, startled, looking around.

"I, err...!" He looked up towards Jean, first in confusion, and then in annoyance. "What...? Did the lights not tip you off, young man?"

"S-Sorry," Jean said, removing his hand. "We came to see you, but... What's going on in here?"

Professor Rowan rubbed his temple and stood from the chair, groaning. "I told the staff to take the day off, after what occurred yesterday. I just fell asleep here while doing some research is all."

"We all need rest sometimes, ya' know?"

"Hmph..." Ignoring that statement, Rowan gazed down at the desk. Jean peered down at it as well.

There were various pieces of paper with schematics for various pieces and shapes, but Jean then noticed one of them showing off something he was familiar with. Moving the others aside, he gazed down at it seriously.

"...The Black Styler?!"

"Yes, I decided to try and find what I could," the Professor stated, picking up the schematic and looking at it. "One of my old assistants, Barry, became a Pokemon Ranger a while ago. It appears he has seen this around, but was not allowed to get one as of yet. He has agreed that, if you go to Jubilife City, he will be around there."

Elizabeth moved closer to the scene, confused. "U-Um..."

Professor Rowan looked over to her. "Oh! You are... Elizabeth, correct?" She nodded, and he turned to her. "Terribly sorry for not seeing you. Are you feeling well?"

"I am! I... I wanted to thank you, for yesterday," she told him. The Buneary in her arms smiled and raised a paw as if to give its thanks as well.

"It was only natural, and, quite frankly, I'm getting too old to really protect anyone," the Professor insisted, looking a bit solemn. His eyes trailed over to a framed picture, the only item at the desk that was not science-related. There, he could be seen looking very stern as usual, with three young people next to him: A boy with blonde hair and an orange-and-white striped shirt, another wearing a blue jacket and red beret, and the last, a girl, who was wearing a red jacket and white beanie with a pink scarf. Noticing that he was distracted, he cleared his throat and looked back at the two. "But anywho... This schematic can help you come to understand how to defeat such a device."

He handed the paper to Jean, who nodded. "Thank you," he stated, gazing down at it. _The Black Styler..._ He clutched the paper tighter, and Elizabeth noticed his tenseness, becoming a bit nervous.

"Now, Elizabeth... You are soon going to begin your own journey, are you not?" Changing the subject, Rowan looked over to the girl.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, the excitement obviously rising within her. "Yeah! I can't wait! We're going to see all kinds of Pokemon," she exclaimed, looking down at her Buneary.

"An excellent spirit," Professor Rowan stated, giving a slight smile. "You must never forget your ideals as you move forward, no matter what happens. Just remember that."

Jean put the schematic away in his pouch, and couldn't help but admiring the Professor. Though he was tired and obviously pained by something long-pass, he was still able to give others the encouragement and knowledge they need.

"What?" Rowan looked to Jean sternly, noticing he was staring.

"Heh, it's... Nothing," Jean said with a grin. "But I'm going to go back to my room in the Center for a little while before I head out, if you need me, Professor- Elizabeth." He tipped his cap to them.

"That is fine," Rowan stated with a nod.

"O-Okay, I'll come see you before you leave!" Elizabeth waved to Jean, who lifted a hand to her before walking off and leaving the lab.

"He is a fine boy," Rowan commented. "I'm sure he wouldn't take any credit for saving us, would he?"

Elizabeth shook her head, and Rowan chuckled. "He has a long fight ahead of him, but-"

"I cannot help but be fearful that he's doing this alone."

As the Sun began to climb down from the sky, Jean prepared to set off, checking his backpack and side-pouches as he sat out on a bench near the Pokemon Center, Litten laying beside him. It yawned, looking down at its tail, flicking it around boredly.

"Alright, looks like we're all good to go," Jean said to himself, standing and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He then looked down at the Pokemon. "I guess it's too late to ask really, but.. You want to come with me?"

Litten stood and stretched out, its tail swaying harder. "Li~!" It raised a paw as it spoke.

"That's what I thought," Jean said with a smirk. Footsteps approaching made Jean turn to see Elizabeth approaching him. A pink backpack and straw hat were now added to her attire, and she was out of breath as if she had hurried to see him. "Elizabeth? Did you come to see me off?"

"N-No, I..." Elizabeth took a second to catch her breath and looked up at him shyly. "I-I'm going with you!"

Jean was surprised by this. "Going with me...?" He and Litten exchanged a glance. "I don't know about that-"

"Please!" Elizabeth dipped her head pleadingly. "I'm ready to go on my own, but... I-it's scary!"

"You're right about that..." Jean looked up towards the sky in thought. "But, I... I can't. I'm sorry." He turned away from her solemnly. "This is too dangerous. You saw what those Pokemon could do... I'm sorry..."

He turned and held out his arms to Litten, who hopped up into them, and then jumped up his arm to perch on top of his backpack, looking over his head. Jean turned back to Elizabeth and smiled.

"But I'm sure I'll come see you again, alright? That's a promise," he told her, before walking off.

For a moment, Elizabeth watched him go, saddened. She looked around the town at all of the patched-up buildings and people who, just the day before, had been attacked viciously by the wild Pokemon. Then, the words of the Professor echoed through her mind:

" _You must never forget your ideals as you move forward-_ "

 _M-My ideals,_ she thought. The image of her father leaving, whose face was indistinguishable from the early memory, appeared in her mind.

Elizabeth clutched her backpack straps tight, trying to will her legs to move. She thought about her Buneary being taken by the Fearow, Rowan and Jean protecting her, then her father once again, as Rowan's words came to her again:

" _I cannot help but be fearful that he's doing this alone._ "

And she moved. Running forward, she quickly caught up with Jean, who looked back at her, surprised. She stopped in front of him, looking up at him seriously.

"I-I won't let you go alone!" Her sudden outburst surprised them both. "Nobody has to be alone!"

"Elizabeth..."

She looked down shyly. "I-I'm more afraid of what could happen to you alone, than if I were alone..."

The wind gently rolled over them as they were silent for a moment. Elizabeth blushed and closed her eyes, expecting to be scolded or told off- But she was surprised as Jean reached forward and placed a hand on her head. Looking up, he was smiling.

"You're right... Working together is what I've been striving for all along," he stated. "I guess... I was ready to take it all on by myself to achieve that. Ironic, ey?" He took his hand off of her head and nodded. "Alright then. Let's go- Together.

Elizabeth smiled greatly at this, beaming brightly. "Y-yes!"

Jean looked up to Litten, reaching up and petting its ear with a finger. It was staring down at Elizabeth intently. "You'll have to get used to her, alright?"

Litten seemed to scoff, looking away. Jean and Elizabeth laughed, and turned towards the exit of the town, leading towards Route 202. Off towards Professor Rowan's lab, he was watching from the doorstep, before turning and stepping back inside.

And, with that, the two set off onto their journey, together.

* * *

 **To be Continued...**


End file.
